During her time at UC, Sengupta collaborated on a number of therapy applications, including an adult art therapy tool with Rebola and Meera Rastogi, PhD. The researchers noted that while physicians naturally focus on treatment and symptom management, a patient’s quality of life is often overlooked and rarely studied. Cancer diagnosis and necessary treatment negatively impacts a patient’s quality of life.

“This is not a cancer treatment,” Rebola said. “It is an addition to treatment to improve their health and well-being.”

After working on tools for adult patients for cancer survivorship, Sengupta and Rebola began work on an art therapy application, and adapting it to fit the specific needs of AYA.

“My role in the study is overseeing the possibilities of using therapy tools to take care of people’s health and well-being during cancer recovery,” Rebola said.

The application was designed by the team with Heekyoung Jung, PhD, associate rofessor and Master of Design Program director at UC. Jung specializes in the design of information and product systems that simplify human experience with engaging user interfaces empowering humans through creativity and reflective practice.

The team enlisted the help of undergraduate students on UC’s campus, including Megan Sawyer, an undergraduate student who assisted with the concept design and development of the application. Sawyer helped the team develop an application that would be engaging for patients in her age group. She provided insight for the group on how young adults communicate and express themselves using social media.

Bridget Pemberton-Smith, ATR-BC, ATCS, art therapist and owner of Bridges Art Therapy in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, also assisted with the development of the application and the weekly art therapy prompts.

“They sent me some things that they had in mind, and I made suggestions based on my experience working with youth that age,” said Pemberton-Smith.